


Distant Worlds: Memories from Lands Beyond Par Vollen

by mademoisellesansa



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Asian Character(s), Drabble, I'm pretty sure Corphyfish's antics affect everyone, One Shot, Original Character(s), Worldbuilding, because what is going on outside of Thedas, even if it's not to the same extent, it's the same problem I have with LotR, radio silence outside of Europe, silly emperors, silly men, so this is what's happening outside of Thedas, taoist influences and all that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-03-13 03:43:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3366473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mademoisellesansa/pseuds/mademoisellesansa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Breach in the sky brings doom upon all of existence and its effects are felt even beyond the borders of Thedas.</p><p>An exploration of how a mage from an Eastern country might react to the events that set DA:I into motion and how the concepts of the Veil and the Fade may differ across cultures.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distant Worlds: Memories from Lands Beyond Par Vollen

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired heavily by Taoist and Neo-Confucian philosophy/religious views (sorry, not sorry) because I think it would be interesting to see how magic and the Fade are viewed differently in a country like China, for which there is no traditional concept of "magic" in the Western sense (no seriously). Things like cursing other people or summoning spirits were frowned upon by many Confucian dynasties, but there never was a problem with say, summoning fireballs or blasting lightning, which would be viewed as a result of intense spiritual training and a strong connection with the Way as opposed to ooh-voodoo-magic-sparkles. Basically, in a China-inspired country in Dragon Age, magical powers were more likely to inspire veneration than horror since they would be a sign of spiritual purity and enlightenment. Also they definitely wouldn't call the Veil the Veil or the Fade the Fade - those terms are too defined and imply too stark a separation between the spirit world and the human one for Chinese culture. Anyways no more rambling~ Enjoy! Comment! Share your headcanons please~

Something strange yet nostalgic, foreign yet familiar nudged her from her sleep. It was the _yin_ , she realized, the fluctuating shadowy reflection of the world humans could define and shape, and it was being twisted and torn into an unnatural form by a distant power. Even here, in the heart of Jingto, she could feel the torment of the guardians, for the _yang_ is defined by distance and spaces, but the _yin_ is all-connected and all-encompassing. With a soft sigh, she rose from her bed, the fragrant sandalwood moaning silently into the stillness of the night, and slipped a cloak of white fennec fur around her shoulders. It was a gift from her brother from the emperor's ceremonial Harvest Moon hunt - the precious pelt of a three-tailed white fennec, said to bestow upon the wearer the spiritual energy of the slain forest spirit.

Outside of her chambers, the winter snow nestled intimately into the crooked black branches of her prized plum trees, the silver dust kissing the fragrant petals of the blood-red blossoms. She heard the questioning cry of the owl as he lay hidden within the foliage of her garden and she wondered what message he brought from the guardians. Did they themselves know the source of the unbalance? A pilgrimage to the family shrine then. It seemed unavoidable.

The night rotation of guards had been startled by her appearance, long black hair unbound and white fur cradling her figure, like the twisted spirits of temptation from the legends, but they had recognized the inscribed right to passage that she wore on her belt and had let her pass without question. The ride to the shrine was uneventful - snow flying like white raven's wings from the hooves of her red mare. Even the twisted spirits that haunted the paths of night knew better than to challenge the power of the Senyo, lest her fire transform them into ash. It was quiet, the bamboo forest rustling in the night wind and the unquenchable blue light of the stone lamps flickering against the gathered darkness. The sky hound had consumed the winter moon, leaving an empty blackness in the sky, and, glancing up, she imagined she saw a lightning flash of green streaking across it.

Here, where the guardians were venerated and served, the passage between the _yin_ and the _yang_ was easiest, the treacherous path guarded by their vigilance. She lit the incense and planted it within the silverite vessel, rooting it in the fragrant ash, before calling forth flame with her hands and letting her offering - the transcription of a poem by an ancient sage - wither into dust between them. She felt the unseen pressing intimately against her skin, seeking to welcome her into its embrace, and she yielded to it, drinking from the tiny flask of lyrium she kept close, like a lover, and stepping fearlessly into the realm of the guardians.

She was blinded by a flash of green light and then she saw it, the sky being torn open to form a doorway between the _yin_ and the _yang_ , fixing in place what should never be still and making fluid what should be constant. She felt the agony of the guardians as they were twisted by the power that sought to conquer the _yin_ as the _yang_ could be conquered, to give definition and form to that which was inherently formless. Amidst all of the chaos, she made out the figure of a woman - tall as a man and pale as a spirit with strange, wide eyes the color of the tearing light. The woman raised her hand, a miniature replica of the torn sky flaming against her palm, and the doorway was sealed, the unnatural power drawn from the _yin_ as poison is drawn from a wound.

\--

_A well-traveled letter addressed to Lady Inquisitor Trevelyan in careful brushstrokes._

To the Honorable One:

I bring you the greetings of one who walks with the guardians and guards the balance between that which is known to men and that which is not. The guardians have shown me the light that has torn the sky asunder and brought unbalance to the Way. It is known that you bear the hands that carry the will that restores what is no longer in accordance and thus, it is known that the favor of the guardians and the Ancient One is with you.

Once before, the sky was opened from the arrogance of the mortal ones, who sought to claim the deathlessness of the ancient sages. The Way was turned from them as they had turned from the Way and there was no balance, for the guardians became vengeance and the rended sky cast down the twisted mortal ones and those they corrupted and darkness walked upon the earth. The Ancient One took pity upon the world that had lost the Way and she cast aside her mortal form, growing eyes bright enough to see in the darkness, forming claws sharp enough to delve the earth, covering herself in scales smooth enough to part the waters, and spreading wings strong enough to reach the heavens. She parted the seas until she found the Way in the waters. She delved the mountains until she found the Way in the earth. She searched the darkness until she found the Way in the hearts of mortals. And she brought the Way to the heavens and the Way was with the heavens and the heavens were closed as was the Way. But the Ancient One tired from her labors and she faded from the world.

It seems that mortals have once again turned from the Way. I have enclosed a remnant of the Ancient One in the hopes that it will bring guidance to you in your trials. His Imperial Majesty, Descendant of the Heavens, Lord of the Glorious City of Jingto, Ruler over the Central Kingdom bids me bring you His greetings and offers His most gracious aid. He would send you a battalion of His finest archers and a contingent of armored knights as well as six hundred bolts of Imperial silk, thirty tonnes of Jinlin gold, and two herds of Lolani steeds. His generosity knows no bounds and his magnanimity brings glory to the oceans.

May the favor of the guardians be with you and may you walk along the paths of the Way,

Her Imperial Highness  
Princess of the Jingto Court  
Respected Sister of the High Chancellor  
Senyo to the Guardians

Princess Tianhe

_Below:_

If I may, I advise against accepting the emperor's offer of archers and knights. It would take a full rotation of the seasons for them to reach your distant lands and few of them have a proper grasp of our language, not to mention your common tongue. I can arrange for his more material gifts to travel with a Qunari caravan and reach you within two moons. The man is a fool who dreams of nothing but glory and heroism - it took my brother the time of four candles to persuade him not to leave his duties behind and join you himself!


End file.
